Cookie Controversy

staff - March 4, 2016 9:47 am

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past week, you probably already know that it is officially Girl Scout Cookie season. Girl Scouts have been selling cookies in America since 1917 to raise funds for the organization, and sales are estimated at over 200 million boxes per year. It teaches girls valuable life lessons like how to interact with people, how to keep track of their product and their money, and maybe most importantly, how hard work can help them achieve their goals.

But earlier this week I saw an interesting post on Facebook, where someone was saying how the Girl Scouts and their cookies were contributing to the obesity of America. Now statistically speaking, it’s no secret that America does have a weight problem. And it doesn’t help that a nice salad will cost you around $5.00, but candy bars, soda, and cheeseburgers are all under $2.00. But I think that it is unfair to target the Girl Scouts in this situation. I have looked hard, and I’ve yet to see a single Girl Scout physically forcing someone to eat their cookies. They are simply taking advantage of a free market society where they can raise money for their organization by utilizing the concept of supply and demand.

But then I kept reading the Facebook post, and the Obesity Watchdog began attacking the parents of the Girl Scouts. He said, “Hey parents of young Girl Scouts who are obese…. How about making them walk door to door instead of sitting there with their big soft drinks at tables in parking lots.”

This comment astounded me, on a variety of levels.

If they were HIS children, and he felt that they needed to go door to door because they needed extra exercise while they sold their cookies…. Then fine. I’m not going to judge him for his parenting choice. But obviously, he is not the type of person who can respect OTHER people and their parenting choices. Instead of seeing hard working young girls who are involved in an activity that is not only safe and educational, he chooses to see obese kids who are sitting in front of stores, playing on their cell phones and drinking big soft drinks. Would he feel better if they were running on treadmills while they sold their cookies in parking lots?

I just don’t get it. There are soooooo many more important things in this world that need our time and attention, and yet this guy decides to go after children selling cookies for the Girl Scouts.

Whether he likes it or not, Girl Scouts come in all different shapes and sizes, and every one of them deserves to sell their cookies wherever and however they see fit. Maybe this guy is teaching us another life lesson: Some people will always be convinced that their opinion is the only one that matters, and arguing with them is only a waste of time.